Taraba: Stakeholders Warn of Health Risks Amid FRH Baissa's Decay

Concerned citizens and health workers in Kurmi Local Government Council of Taraba State have called on the state government to intervene urgently in the deteriorating condition of the First Referral Hospital (FRH) in Baissa. They describe the facility as being in a critical state and unable to perform its role as a major healthcare provider for the area.

The appeal, made over the weekend, follows the spread of photographs on social media that allegedly show severe infrastructural decay within the hospital.

Residents and healthcare workers say the hospital, which serves more than 100,000 people in Kurmi LGA and surrounding border communities, is facing significant operational challenges.

According to the group, several wards and units are dilapidated, with leaking roofs, inadequate water supply, and unreliable electricity. They also allege that essential medical equipment is either broken or unavailable, creating unsafe conditions for patients and staff.

Reports from the facility indicate a severe shortage of manpower, with some units reportedly being managed by only one or two volunteer workers. Stakeholders say the shortage has compromised emergency services and night‑duty operations.

Through Dauda Hosea Bello, the concerned citizens warned that the hospital’s current condition could lead to preventable deaths, health complications, and a decline in public confidence in the healthcare system.

They emphasized that First Referral Hospital Baissa remains the backbone of healthcare delivery in Kurmi LGA and neighboring communities, noting that the collapse of the facility would leave primary healthcare centres without a functional referral destination for emergency cases.

The group also argued that the situation could undermine Taraba State’s access to healthcare funding opportunities, including programs tied to functional referral systems under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and other donor‑supported initiatives.

In their appeal, the stakeholders called on Governor Agbu Kefas and relevant authorities to take immediate action through emergency rehabilitation and modernization of the hospital.

They requested urgent repairs of damaged infrastructure, provision of modern medical equipment, installation of solar power systems, construction of a reliable water supply through boreholes, and the provision of basic theatre equipment.

They also urged the government to deploy additional healthcare personnel, including doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, and community health extension workers (CHEWs and JCHEWs), to address existing manpower shortages.